Don’t settle for less Nsimbe, take your game to next level

Nsimbe’s KCCA await Zambia’s Nkana Red Devils in the next round of the Caf Champions League. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO

By Mark SsaliPosted
Tuesday, February 18
2014 at
02:00

In Summary

omment. A burgeoning CV that takes in league title successes with KCC(A), a Cup conquest with Victors, and memorable continental scalps like South Africa’s Supersport United and Sudan’s El Merreikh should only continue to bulge out, but I strongly feel that at a personal level Nsimbe should put in more time and effort to make himself an even better coach than his admirable statistics.

KAMPALA- Technology is one, but there are several others reasons the world has advanced to the point that we now know that best is not a ceiling but only relative, and that the sky is no longer the limit but that there lies plenty beyond it.

It is something that tagged at my subconscious when George Nsimbe wrote the latest chapter in his ongoing success story, a tale that could go on to fill a gigantic book with a very happy ending.

While the facts speak for themselves, and while there are thousands of eye witnesses and hundreds of unprovoked, glowing testimonies to the man’s coaching gifts, I can’t help but feel that there are many who are only grudgingly accepting it all, and several others for whom the jury is still out there.

You can’t please and convince everybody of course, and if even Jesus Christ most divine didn’t then the mere mortal Nsimbe will not either.

But he has it within himself to go on and confound any doubting Thomases by elevating his game to even greater heights.

I have severally frowned upon stereotype, and I have reason to feel justified in doing so; but if ever there were two follies for which we would be found guilty as a country and its peoples, they are: i) our failure to acknowledge anything born and bred within the confines our borders as any good, and ii) never stretching our limits and potential because of getting easily satisfied with what we convince ourselves is enough, when it clearly isn’t even close.

A burgeoning CV that takes in league title successes with KCC(A), a Cup conquest with Victors, and memorable continental scalps like South Africa’s Supersport United and Sudan’s El Merriekh should only continue to bulge out, but I strongly feel that at a personal level Nsimbe should put in more time and effort to make himself an even better coach than his admirable statistics.

He could bask in the glory now, choose to continue to ride the wave and see where that takes him, but I implore him to not rest on his laurels, and next time we chat I intend to break it to him that not all those that are calling him a great motivator mean it as compliment.

Why else would words like ‘lucky’ and ‘fluke’ continue to slip through, and why is skepticism is the immediate reaction when his name is mentioned in the same breath as the Uganda Cranes, as if the foreigners we are hiring are working any special miracles?When he is hailed as motivator it is a genuine recognition of his great asset from most, but scratch beneath the surface and many who wouldn’t care to admit as much are actually insinuating that it is a quality that makes up for the lack of tactical acumen on his part.

The ability to charm his players and get the best out of them is a natural gift which he should always cherish and continue to exploit, but tactical skills are acquired and he should pursue and perfect those too. If he is not doing so already, Nsimbe ought to set out to study in depth what the emerging young coaches around the globe are doing to deliberately conquer the football world.

Thanks to the information age that has engulfed us now, their blueprints are readily available, and one thing our very own should most ignore is the typically defeatist Ugandan talk that what is out there does not apply to us here.

The once whole wide world is now a global village in which we are all brought together in inevitably close embrace, and in it there is no language more universal than football which is spoken by more people than Mandarin, Cantonese and Hindi put together. Take resources out of the equation for example, and you will find that at the crucially basic level football is the same everywhere.

This all-conquering crop of young coaches I refer to, men who make Nsimbe at 48 look like a senior citizen, are establishing a clear identity where philosophy is concerned, as proponents of attacking football or preachers of pragmatism. Philosophies aside, on a game-to-game basis Nsimbe needs to take a deep look at the tactical approaches his peers are using, how they set up their teams and the adjustments they make depending on whether they are trying to protect a lead or playing catch-up, competing on the road or at home …

To Nsimbe I say, yes George is Best but he can be even better, and no, the sky is no longer the limit.

NSIMBE FACTFILE • He holds a certificate in electrical engineering• He won two league titles with KCC (1985 & 1991) and three Kakungulu Cups (1987, 1990 & 1993).•He won two Cecafa titles with Uganda (1989 & 1990)•Played for three clubs: Wandegeya Young Stars, NIC and KCC.• As coach, he guided KCC to the 2007/08 league title and the club was beaten to the 2008/09 league title by URA on goal difference.• He led Victors to the 2010 Kakungulu Cup• He didn’t get a single red card in his playing career• He is married to Florence and the couple has three children; two boys, Collin and Cedric and a daughter Joan.•His favourite jersey was Shirt 15, the same number his idol Phillip Omondi wore.• He was always at his best against Villa and scored 7 goals against them.